NORWICH — With less than a week to go before Election Day, Norwich’s three mayoral candidates traded testy exchanges on the need for a full-time mayor and a recent complaint lodged at the head of a consulting firm working for Democrat Deb Hinchey.

On Oct. 22, The Bulletin first reported that the city’s Democrat and Republicans registrars of voters filed a Sept. 18 intimidation and harassment complaint against state Rep. Geoffrey Luxenberg, a Manchester Democrat and co-owner of The Vinci Group, a firm that has worked with Hinchey for nearly a year on her campaign, at a price of more than $29,000.

No criminal charges were included in the complaint, which does not mention Hinchey.

“The individual who the complaint was lodged against did nothing illegal,” Hinchey said. “I find it fascinating that story was leaked to the press the day before the first debate (on Oct. 23). I have hired a very competent firm to help me accomplish a very professional campaign for a very vital, important position.”

Incumbent Republican Peter Nystrom, speaking publicly for the first time on the issue, went on the attack.

“If professionalism means employees at City Hall are screamed at so loudly that a Norwich police officer rushes to their aid, I’d be concerned about that level of professionalism. This kind of activity in Norwich isn’t needed. This is what happens when you get outside influence spending lots of money and being paid thousands of dollars as well,” he said.

Libertarian William Russell also chastised Hinchey for using the firm, calling Luxenberg’s behavior “blatant.”

“When you have both the Democratic and Republican registrars complaining, it’s not politically motivated. Is this the kind of mayor we want, somebody who hires this kind of agency?” he said.

New London Day Editorial Page Editor Paul Choiniere moderated the hour-long debate, which was built partly around questions written by the audience, many of whom wanted clarity on where the contenders stood on such issues as the controversial Intermodal Transportation Center and the effectiveness of Norwich Community Development Corporation.

Hinchey said if elected, her sole focus will be on finding new economic development opportunities while working closely with existing businesses to stabilize and increase Norwich’s tax base.

“What I have heard from the people I’ve talked to is they cannot sustain the tax burden they are dealing with at this time, so the only way to change that is trying to bring in revenue,” she said. “I also intend to concentrate on the assets we have here in Norwich, and there are a great many of them.”

Hinchey and Nystrom agreed that the city’s $22 million ITC — despite its light use — cannot be discarded, and still has a role to play in making the city a player for competitive investment.

Page 2 of 2 - “We have to understand there are regional benefits to the facility, and we have to promote those,” Nystrom said, pointing to improvements being made to a rail line along the western end of the complex and partnering with local travel agencies to get more bus use out of it.

Russell, who pledges to divest the city from many of its real estate assets, said the ITC should be privatized.

“In my mind, I think the best use of it would be to find someone privately who could use the facility. We need somebody who can bring money into the city with that building,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it comes from Washington D.C., Hartford or Norwich, it’s your money that builds those things… Norwich needs a mayor who is not beholden to interests, not part of the good-old-boy network.”